Known automobile window pane structures include window panes, and hinges mounting the window panes to sashes of the automotive bodies in such a manner that the panes move between open and closed positions. One example of such structures is known from Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 7-101238.
FIG. 15 hereof illustrates in cross-section the structure disclosed in the publication. The structure designated at 100 includes a pair of hinge members (only one shown) 103, and a window pane 106 mounted via the hinge members 103 to an automotive body 101 in such a manner as to move between open and closed positions. Each hinge member 103 has a base 104 attached to the body 101 through a bolt 102. The hinge member 103 has its distal end 105 adhered through urethane adhesive 107 to the inside of a rear end of the window pane 106.
The hinge member 103 is elastically deformable to allow the movement of the window pane 106 between the open and closed positions.
Because the base 104 is adhered to the inside of the window pane 106 through the adhesive 107, it becomes possible to prevent the base portion 104 and the adhesive 107 from being exposed to the outside of the window pane 106. This arrangement provides improved outer appearance of the structure 100.
For the structure 100, however, the distal end 105 of the hinge member 103 is adhered to the window pane 106 only through the adhesive 107. The distal end 105 would be undesirably peeled off from the window pane 106 if the distal end 105 less satisfactorily adheres to the window pane 106 due to, for example, insufficient adhesive strength of the adhesive 107.
In addition, the adhesive 107 used for adhesion of the distal end 105 to the window pane 106 is more expensive than the bolt 102.
The use of such a costly adhesive 107 makes it difficult to provide the structure 100 at a low cost.
FIG. 16 hereof illustrates another automobile window pane structure 110 for an automobile. The structure 110 includes an automotive body 111, a hinge member 113 and a window pane 116 mounted to the body 111 via the hinge member 113 in such a manner as to move between open and closed positions. More specifically, the hinge member 113 has a base 114 mounted to the body 111 through a bolt 112, and its distal end 115 mounted to a rear end of the window pane 116 through a bolt 117.
The hinge member 113 is elastically deformable to allow the movement of the window pane 116 between the open and closed positions.
Unlike the structure 100, the structure 110 has the advantage that the distal end 115 is not detached from the window pane 116 because the bolt 117 secures the distal end 115 of the hinge member 113 to the window pane 116 therethrough.
The bolt 117 has its head 117a (configured to provide decorative ness) exposed to the outside of the window pane 116, and hence provides unpleasant entire outer appearance of the structure 110. For the structure 110, therefore, there is left a room for improvement in its outer appearance.
FIG. 17 hereof illustrates another automobile window pane structure 120. The structure 120 includes a window pane 126 and a hinge member 121. The hinge member 121 includes a hinge body 122 and a molding portion 123 molded to cover part of the hinge body 122. The hinge member has its base portion 121a mounted to an automotive body 125 via a bolt 124. The window pane 126 has its rear end adhered to an inner surface of a distal end 121b of the molding portion 123 by adhesive (not shown) to achieve a fitting engagement between the distal end 121b and the rear end of the window pane 126.
The hinge member 121 is elastically deformable to allow the window pane 126 to move between the open and closed positions.
The structure 120 has the advantage that the distal end 121b of the molding 123 is securely adhered to the rear end of the window pane 126 and hence is unlikely to be detached or disengaged from the rear end of the windowpane 126.
However, the distal end 121b has its portion 121c exposed to the outside of the automotive body 125, and hence provides unpleasant entire outer appearance of the structure 120. Thus, like the structure 110, the structure 120 should have its improved outer appearance.